Joist tool is dead?

[LMS]

when I click on the Joist absolutely nothing happens, nothing. I get no options to change, nothing. If I have clicked on another detailing tool, then click on Joist, the first tool remains active.

the Detail Cut Wood adjacent to it works, as does the Framing Member Tool on the other side of it.

2008SP3, XP quad AMD, 3 gig

[CipesDesign]

After clicking on the JOIST tool, move your cursor over the drawing. It should change to a little tiny "+". Use it to draw the line of the joist, in plan view. After you draw one you can fiddle with its settings, including width, height etc, etc.

[LMS]

thanks for your input, but that was not the problem, apparently if you create a symbol, with the name "joist" that over-rides the tool. now that i have renamed my symbol, it works....however it appears to be of no use if you are doing a concrete pan-joist, concrete skip-joist, or concrete beam and slab framing system, not to mention a concrete two-way slab with drop panels and perimeter beams. this is something that should be remedied if VW wants to be considered a player in BIM.

[CipesDesign]

LMS, you should "Wishlist" all those shortcomings. You will find that NNA is pretty responsive to user needs. After all, we are the ones who buy and use their software.

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

In 2008, the functionality of the Joist object is superseded by the Framing Member object.

[LMS]

if it has been superseded, then why include it in a new release?

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

Lots of "legacy" tools make the transition to the next version. Some more than one until they are ultimately "killed off". Ask the other users... some of them are hard pressed to give up tools/commands/functions/workflows they've grown accustomed to.

[LMS]

LMS, you should "Wishlist" all those shortcomings. You will find that NNA is pretty responsive to user needs. After all, we are the ones who buy and use their software.

yes we are however, with all the repeated complaints PIO objects etc, NNA does NOT seem reponsive at all...some of these are ongoing for several releases. During conversation, face to face, with 2 of their representatives a while back I did not see them writing down one single comment from 3 of us regarding usability and workflow issues.

[LMS]

Lots of "legacy" tools make the transition to the next version. Some more than one until they are ultimately "killed off". Ask the other users... some of them are hard pressed to give up tools/commands/functions/workflows they've grown accustomed to.

Jeffrey, if the new tool is, indeed, an improvement, either in usability or stability, I would be more than happy to abandon an old futile tool. However, as indicated above, I do not see improvements in general.

Review your records, I have been a user of this package since before it was VW, in fact am responsible for us using this package in lieu of others. I see the same problems with tools that were in existence then, some with more gloss added to them on occasion but the same usabilty problems.

Check the forums on the stair tool for one. I will add my compaint about the virtual uselessness of the curtain wall tool for any situation I have encountered.

I have no problem with using a tool designed with preconceived notions of its use, (indeed different users have different preferences on operation of a tool- see the relatively simple issue of stair arrow directions posted in this forum) if I can get from A to Z without having to traverse the entire alphabet.

Granted VW is inexpensive, but a very few hours of my time pays the difference in cost between this package and others, especially when you have to waste time with the same workarounds over and over, for say a month, a year....